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Tales from Rainbow Alley #3
Fix This, Sir
It's always easier to run and hide than to face your problems. So what happens when you get your legs cut out from under you and running is impossible?
Jimmy's been hiding from his troubled past for a long time—in drugs, drink and dangerous sex. It's always been easy to find oblivion in the restraints of men who don't really care who he is or where he's come from. When tragedy puts him in a wheelchair and forces him to fix his legs—and his life—he's not so sure he has it in him to even try. Belligerence is the only weapon he has left.
Cliff is a physiotherapist with a big heart...and a dominant streak a mile wide. The instant Jimmy Phillips rolls into his clinic, he sees a submissive headed straight for self-destruction and every protective instinct kicks in. Ignoring the dangers of getting intimately involved with a client, Cliff takes Jimmy under his wing and pries under the broken man's guard. Getting behind the anger is a challenge the Dom in him just can't ignore.
What he finds is so much more than he bargained for. Now that he's reopened all of Jimmy's old wounds, he's not so sure he has what it takes to help his new submissive heal. All the control Cliff can muster can't hold Jimmy's crumbling world together, and now Cliff faces not just the loss of a sub, but his own fears that he was never worthy of Jimmy in the first place.
Jimmy's been hiding from his troubled past for a long time—in drugs, drink and dangerous sex. It's always been easy to find oblivion in the restraints of men who don't really care who he is or where he's come from. When tragedy puts him in a wheelchair and forces him to fix his legs—and his life—he's not so sure he has it in him to even try. Belligerence is the only weapon he has left.
Cliff is a physiotherapist with a big heart...and a dominant streak a mile wide. The instant Jimmy Phillips rolls into his clinic, he sees a submissive headed straight for self-destruction and every protective instinct kicks in. Ignoring the dangers of getting intimately involved with a client, Cliff takes Jimmy under his wing and pries under the broken man's guard. Getting behind the anger is a challenge the Dom in him just can't ignore.
What he finds is so much more than he bargained for. Now that he's reopened all of Jimmy's old wounds, he's not so sure he has what it takes to help his new submissive heal. All the control Cliff can muster can't hold Jimmy's crumbling world together, and now Cliff faces not just the loss of a sub, but his own fears that he was never worthy of Jimmy in the first place.
244 pages, ebook
First published April 4, 2011
5 people are currently reading
201 people want to read
About the author
Jaime Samms
106 books276 followersJaime Samms is a plaid-hearted Canadian who spends the too-long winters writing stories about love between men and the too-short summers digging in the garden. There are dust bunnies in the corners of her house—which she blames on a husky named Kai. There are dishes on the counter—which is clearly because teenagers! There is hot coffee in the pot and the occasional meal to keep her from starving—because her husband is remarkable and patient.
A multi-published author whose work has been translated into French, Italian, and German, Jaime delights in the intricate dance of words that leads her through tales of the lost and broken hearted men she writes about to the love stories that find and mend them.
And when the muse is being stubborn, she also makes pretty things with yarn and fabric scraps because in her world, no heart is too broken to love, and nothing is too worn or tired it can’t be upcycled into something beautiful. All it takes is determination and the ability to see life a little bit left of center.
A multi-published author whose work has been translated into French, Italian, and German, Jaime delights in the intricate dance of words that leads her through tales of the lost and broken hearted men she writes about to the love stories that find and mend them.
And when the muse is being stubborn, she also makes pretty things with yarn and fabric scraps because in her world, no heart is too broken to love, and nothing is too worn or tired it can’t be upcycled into something beautiful. All it takes is determination and the ability to see life a little bit left of center.
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
January 28, 2012
This is a really good book and I do recommend it to everyone who like wounded characters.
That said, I planned on rating it with a four, still think it is that good and the writing more than deserves it. But I am one of those people who are led by their emotions, and mine were strung pretty high while I read this.
I liked both Jimmy and Cliff, liked how Jimmy was submissive and just how hard of a Dom Cliff was. I liked the fact that the story revolved around them and the way each step forward took time. I haven't read the first two books so I was unfamiliar with all the characters in this one. But that was completely my fault and not something that influenced my rating.
My rating is based on the fact that I really liked this book, but couldn't get past certain details that drove me crazy. I both love and hate false presumptions and conflicts based on knowingly doing the wrong thing. They are interesting and frustrating, a common thing in romance but at the same time very rewarding because you just know everything will work out for the best and the journey there will be amazing.
I expected Cliff to work out all of Jimmy's problems. To take him under his wing and make everything better. I thought Cliff was capable of that, his attitude and power got to me and I needed him to follow through, to be the man who fixes everything. So when Jimmy went to rehab instead my expectations were crushed and I couldn't get past that. Suddenly I wasn't interested in the longing and the broken hearts or just how Jimmy dealt with being away.
I figured Danny and Skate situations were a base for the next book, still, it irked me that their story was such a big part of this one and that it might have contributed to the development of Jimmy/Cliff relationship in a way it eventually went.
Another thing was the sex issue and the dominance issue. The setting was so perfect, brilliant almost, with snippets of just how submissive Jimmy was and what a perfect Dom Cliff was, but there was none of the action to support that. I needed the action. I needed them to be all they could be and while the recovery was an important and beautiful part of the story, there was so much more there that could have been explored and offered.
This book deserves way more than a 3 star rating and I'm sure readers will recognize the talent invested in it and the wonderful characterization a good author can accomplish. It just pushed some of the wrong buttons with me and I would feel bad if I gave it more than I would another book with some of the same issues.
That said, I planned on rating it with a four, still think it is that good and the writing more than deserves it. But I am one of those people who are led by their emotions, and mine were strung pretty high while I read this.
I liked both Jimmy and Cliff, liked how Jimmy was submissive and just how hard of a Dom Cliff was. I liked the fact that the story revolved around them and the way each step forward took time. I haven't read the first two books so I was unfamiliar with all the characters in this one. But that was completely my fault and not something that influenced my rating.
My rating is based on the fact that I really liked this book, but couldn't get past certain details that drove me crazy. I both love and hate false presumptions and conflicts based on knowingly doing the wrong thing. They are interesting and frustrating, a common thing in romance but at the same time very rewarding because you just know everything will work out for the best and the journey there will be amazing.
I expected Cliff to work out all of Jimmy's problems. To take him under his wing and make everything better. I thought Cliff was capable of that, his attitude and power got to me and I needed him to follow through, to be the man who fixes everything. So when Jimmy went to rehab instead my expectations were crushed and I couldn't get past that. Suddenly I wasn't interested in the longing and the broken hearts or just how Jimmy dealt with being away.
I figured Danny and Skate situations were a base for the next book, still, it irked me that their story was such a big part of this one and that it might have contributed to the development of Jimmy/Cliff relationship in a way it eventually went.
Another thing was the sex issue and the dominance issue. The setting was so perfect, brilliant almost, with snippets of just how submissive Jimmy was and what a perfect Dom Cliff was, but there was none of the action to support that. I needed the action. I needed them to be all they could be and while the recovery was an important and beautiful part of the story, there was so much more there that could have been explored and offered.
This book deserves way more than a 3 star rating and I'm sure readers will recognize the talent invested in it and the wonderful characterization a good author can accomplish. It just pushed some of the wrong buttons with me and I would feel bad if I gave it more than I would another book with some of the same issues.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 16, 2016
This is a great book. I found it exhausting to read, an amazing roller coaster of emotions. The story had me spellbound, making me feel everything the characters were feeling, but it was extremely rewarding in the end. In many ways I thought it was even darker than the second book in the series, with which I had a real (purely personal) problem; but because this volume deals exclusively with the aftermath of violence, rather than the violence itself, I was able to focus on the psychology of the characters' development and growth. And, boy, did they both have a lot to learn and grow.
Jimmy has been in trouble his whole life, but being in a wheelchair brings it all to a head. Suddenly, he can't run from his problems any more - they have become physical, and very visible. In a way the fact that he is in a wheelchair, struggling to learn to walk again, is just a symbol of his real issues. He is forced to face his life's choices, not something any of us would find easy. His progress is slow, his feelings extremely believable, and the courage he shows when standing up to himself, and his potential future Dom, is totally inspiring.
Cliff, as a psychotherapist and as a Dom, is challenged to the very limit of his abilities. I had fewer fears about Jimmy giving up than I had thoughts about Cliff not being able to make it. Sticking with someone like Jimmy, drug dependency and all, is not an easy thing to do. Cliff's struggle was heart wrenching, utterly real, and had me on the edge of my seat as I was reading the book.
Overall, I think this is a brilliant examination of the psychology of dependency, with the D/s aspect really only a part of the picture. It adds to the complexity of the tale, which I found made it all the more interesting. If you like your stories to have some depth, are interested in understanding how someone with a temporary physical disability learns to cope, and want to see how drug dependency can mess up all of that, you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Jimmy has been in trouble his whole life, but being in a wheelchair brings it all to a head. Suddenly, he can't run from his problems any more - they have become physical, and very visible. In a way the fact that he is in a wheelchair, struggling to learn to walk again, is just a symbol of his real issues. He is forced to face his life's choices, not something any of us would find easy. His progress is slow, his feelings extremely believable, and the courage he shows when standing up to himself, and his potential future Dom, is totally inspiring.
Cliff, as a psychotherapist and as a Dom, is challenged to the very limit of his abilities. I had fewer fears about Jimmy giving up than I had thoughts about Cliff not being able to make it. Sticking with someone like Jimmy, drug dependency and all, is not an easy thing to do. Cliff's struggle was heart wrenching, utterly real, and had me on the edge of my seat as I was reading the book.
Overall, I think this is a brilliant examination of the psychology of dependency, with the D/s aspect really only a part of the picture. It adds to the complexity of the tale, which I found made it all the more interesting. If you like your stories to have some depth, are interested in understanding how someone with a temporary physical disability learns to cope, and want to see how drug dependency can mess up all of that, you will probably like this novel.
NOTE: This book was provided by Pride Publishing for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
August 6, 2011
This is one of those rare series that gets better as it goes along. While each book is a stand alone, featuring a different couple, characters from the other books play significant roles and even share the point of view perspective.
While ostensibly Dom/sub stories, there is little BDSM play involved. The books are more about the characters forming healthy meaningful relationships as well as falling in love.
In retrospect, the first book in the series "Hotwired Heart" was little more than an introduction to Rainbow Alley, however I recommend reading "Finders, Keepers" before this book.
One thing I have noticed is that as the series progresses, the quality of the writing has become more assured and rewarding, not that it was bad to start with, but if she keeps on improving at the same rate, Jaime Samms will be brilliant by the time she's finished.
None of the characters are paragons of virtue, in fact it is their faults that makes them real as they struggle to recognise and overcome their flaws.
There is a lot of hurt comfort involved and Jaime doesn't pull her punches at making the hurt serious, especially in the case of "Finders, Keepers" and "Fix This, Sir." Just about all the characters are physically damaged at some point in their lives, most bearing permanent scars, both physical and mental. Dealing with these scars allows the men to interact and learn to grow emotionally as they recover from their physical injuries. Nothing happens in isolation. Everyone in the close-knit community is affected by their neighbour's problem.
Introspection play a large part in the book, with a lot of time spent analysing themselves and the situation, but it's intelligent analysis. In "Fix This, Sir", Cliff and Jimmy and the others around them aren't afraid to admit their problems and understand that sometimes love doesn't cure all.
Rainbow Alley has been populated with an ever increasing rich cast of characters, so I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
While ostensibly Dom/sub stories, there is little BDSM play involved. The books are more about the characters forming healthy meaningful relationships as well as falling in love.
In retrospect, the first book in the series "Hotwired Heart" was little more than an introduction to Rainbow Alley, however I recommend reading "Finders, Keepers" before this book.
One thing I have noticed is that as the series progresses, the quality of the writing has become more assured and rewarding, not that it was bad to start with, but if she keeps on improving at the same rate, Jaime Samms will be brilliant by the time she's finished.
None of the characters are paragons of virtue, in fact it is their faults that makes them real as they struggle to recognise and overcome their flaws.
There is a lot of hurt comfort involved and Jaime doesn't pull her punches at making the hurt serious, especially in the case of "Finders, Keepers" and "Fix This, Sir." Just about all the characters are physically damaged at some point in their lives, most bearing permanent scars, both physical and mental. Dealing with these scars allows the men to interact and learn to grow emotionally as they recover from their physical injuries. Nothing happens in isolation. Everyone in the close-knit community is affected by their neighbour's problem.
Introspection play a large part in the book, with a lot of time spent analysing themselves and the situation, but it's intelligent analysis. In "Fix This, Sir", Cliff and Jimmy and the others around them aren't afraid to admit their problems and understand that sometimes love doesn't cure all.
Rainbow Alley has been populated with an ever increasing rich cast of characters, so I'm looking forward to reading more in the series.
July 17, 2018
DNF. As you can tell from the start date to the finished one, its been 2 months. 2 months I’ve kept pushing this book until I finally just decided to delete it from my phone. It held no interest to me.
April 9, 2011
3.5 stars
This book has similar sense of the second book. We have Jimmy Phillips (from book #2, one of Gabe's subs) who is messed up inside and also broken outside eversince the torture that he was through under the hand of Kane (the villain in book #2). Cliff is his physiotherapist, who is also a Dom. Cliff tries to help Jimmy to get his life back.
While a sub, but Jimmy never really lets the decision to be his. His way of looking for pain and letting go of control is not healthy. For Cliff, Jimmy needs to know that he gives his life a sub because Jimmy wants it. But it's a struggle since Jimmy keeps pushing Cliff away and returns to his destructive life.
Like book #2, this is more of a psychological book rather than 100% romance. It's a journey on how Jimmy must fix himself to realize that he is worth it. That he can choose the life as a sub, that he has control over it. It's an interesting look towards the D/s balance, with Cliff as a Dom who is longing for a partnership of himself. These characters are well written with strong presence throughout. I'm not big on BDSM story these days, but this one is pretty good.
The only reason for my not giving this a 4-star is purely personal. Oh, I know that the "path" that Jimmy takes to heal himself in the end is probably the best way (with him going to rehab because Cliff alone cannot "fix" him) but my romantic heart sort of wish that Cliff could do it. So it's more romantic ... again, a personal preference :p.
This book has similar sense of the second book. We have Jimmy Phillips (from book #2, one of Gabe's subs) who is messed up inside and also broken outside eversince the torture that he was through under the hand of Kane (the villain in book #2). Cliff is his physiotherapist, who is also a Dom. Cliff tries to help Jimmy to get his life back.
While a sub, but Jimmy never really lets the decision to be his. His way of looking for pain and letting go of control is not healthy. For Cliff, Jimmy needs to know that he gives his life a sub because Jimmy wants it. But it's a struggle since Jimmy keeps pushing Cliff away and returns to his destructive life.
Like book #2, this is more of a psychological book rather than 100% romance. It's a journey on how Jimmy must fix himself to realize that he is worth it. That he can choose the life as a sub, that he has control over it. It's an interesting look towards the D/s balance, with Cliff as a Dom who is longing for a partnership of himself. These characters are well written with strong presence throughout. I'm not big on BDSM story these days, but this one is pretty good.
The only reason for my not giving this a 4-star is purely personal. Oh, I know that the "path" that Jimmy takes to heal himself in the end is probably the best way (with him going to rehab because Cliff alone cannot "fix" him) but my romantic heart sort of wish that Cliff could do it. So it's more romantic ... again, a personal preference :p.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 1, 2011
Very good kinky m/m romance about a guy who's not doing so well recovering from a crippling injury on top of numerous other issues. I am so glad that this book was alternating third-person instead of the alternating first-person of the previous book! Made a huge difference for me. And I was a little worried that this book suffered from Omniscient Dom Syndrome, but it turned out ok in the end.
February 27, 2012
This book is amazing. Loved it
November 7, 2021
Fix This, Sir! tells the story of Jimmy, who has a history of self-destructive behavior, past abuse, and drug addiction. This situation gets worse when he is a victim of a crime and gets injured. After this, he meets Cliff, the guy who becomes his physiotherapist.
But Cliff's interest in Jimmy is not just professional, and he struggles with his attraction to Jimmy, even if he thinks Jimmy is the perfect submissive for him.
Although BDSM aspects are present in the book, the story is more about Jimmy rebuilding his life; and him and Cliff trying to make their relationship work. What I liked about the book is the way that the author wrote about their relationship. Cliff is not the magical Dom that makes everything goes right; no one has this power. The book has heavy angst, and I was really uncomfortable to read about the self-destructive behavior in sex scenes (between Jimmy and Montgomery). But I loved Jimmy and Cliffy and in the end, they have their deserved HEA.
But Cliff's interest in Jimmy is not just professional, and he struggles with his attraction to Jimmy, even if he thinks Jimmy is the perfect submissive for him.
Although BDSM aspects are present in the book, the story is more about Jimmy rebuilding his life; and him and Cliff trying to make their relationship work. What I liked about the book is the way that the author wrote about their relationship. Cliff is not the magical Dom that makes everything goes right; no one has this power. The book has heavy angst, and I was really uncomfortable to read about the self-destructive behavior in sex scenes (between Jimmy and Montgomery). But I loved Jimmy and Cliffy and in the end, they have their deserved HEA.
October 31, 2018
Wonderful, convoluted and at times painful to read (only for the content, the writing style was decidedly appealing to me). It's a BDSM-theme, but with an unique approach to the subject matter. The ending had me in tears. Warmly recommended.
June 10, 2011
For a lot of the book I was sulky toward Jimmy. That’s right, sulky! From the start he was stroppy—and quite rightly so, considering what he’s been through—but I didn’t want him to be, hence the sulks. I knew Cliff wanted the best for him, but Jimmy didn’t—not that he’d admit it anyway—so his angst rubbed me up the wrong way because he seemed so selfish and purposefully angry toward Cliff. Of course he would be, I knew that, understood that, and that’s what made him raising my hackles so interesting. It was kind of like a study with myself to see if Ms Samms would be able to make me like him at all. Ever.
Of course, she did. Jimmy slowly started coming around, accepting that Cliff cared about him and not what he could get out of him, and the ice inside Jimmy began to thaw. By the time I was halfway through, I’d had a total turnaround as to how I felt about him, and it’s all down to Ms Samms skill as an author. This woman is awesome, no doubt about it, and once again she wowed me with her perfect way of showing the badness in someone, the suffering and the torment, and making that character’s world a much better place by the time the book ends. It may not be all roses, may not have everyone dancing into the sunset, but that’s why I like her books. They’re real.
Cliff is an adorable man—as is Jimmy deep down—and he stops at nothing in his mission to heal Jimmy. But at one or two points he doesn’t know whether he’ll be able to manage it—did he take on too much? Was the challenge too big? I was sure it wasn’t, not for Cliff, but for someone like me…I’d have walked away from him long ago. But Cliff plugged on, having more faith in Jimmy than anyone else ever has, and that’s what made all the difference. Someone cared, really cared.
They each have fears, which make them so vulnerable and act in the ways they do as a form of protecting themselves, and Fix This, Sir is an absolutely fascinating tale about two men who both need to relax and enjoy life a little bit more. That they eventually do, with each other, is nothing short of heart warming, and I will never forget this story or the people in it.
I loved you in the end, Jimmy! Damn you for worming your way into my heart like that!
Best Bits: “You’re a slut, Jimmy. Do you even have a type?”
“Peter and Adam care about me, I suppose. They toss the love word around, but the truth is, they felt obligated. I had nowhere else to go. Now they’re fed up and an opportunity presented itself to get rid of me.” (Here I was in my not-sure-I-like-Jimmy phase. He was having a pity party, and I could see exactly how he’d feel this way and why, but I wanted to kick his arse into next week, make him see there was so much more ahead of him, that the past wasn’t what should be controlling him. It was, and yes, he needed to face the past before he could move on, and that’s what frustrated him the most—being forced to see what he didn’t want to see. Just after this bit, I started thawing…)
…and his deep, brown eyes went on forever. (Lovely line.)
“I know what you need, Jimmy.” Cliff smiled serenely. “It’s the same thing I need.” (Kleenex alert!)
A heavy sigh bulged up from Cliff’s chest and dumped itself into his tea cup. (This has got to be one of the very best lines I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.)
He smiled, another wide, open expression, a window to some of the best memories Jimmy had. (Another fantastic line!)
Just before he left, he turned, not much more than a silhouette against the bright light of the hallway. (Grand image, here. Really liked it.)
His lashes fluttered, but hardly demurely. “Sir.” The word was a low, throaty purr that went straight to Cliff’s groin. (Here I nearly self-combusted. I won’t spoil it by saying what was going on, but it was one of those times where you literally shout, “No!” with several O’s and panic in case what you think will happen, happens. I didn’t want it to. My heart flopped about a bit here.)
Verdict: Fix This, Sir is an extremely excellent read that inspires anger, sorrow, pity, love, understanding, and the need to hug every horrible thing that Jimmy has ever suffered away. Well done, Ms Samms, for sending me on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, where my emotions were so all over the place I felt like I’d been shoved through a wringer. In a good way. Staggeringly stunning book.
Of course, she did. Jimmy slowly started coming around, accepting that Cliff cared about him and not what he could get out of him, and the ice inside Jimmy began to thaw. By the time I was halfway through, I’d had a total turnaround as to how I felt about him, and it’s all down to Ms Samms skill as an author. This woman is awesome, no doubt about it, and once again she wowed me with her perfect way of showing the badness in someone, the suffering and the torment, and making that character’s world a much better place by the time the book ends. It may not be all roses, may not have everyone dancing into the sunset, but that’s why I like her books. They’re real.
Cliff is an adorable man—as is Jimmy deep down—and he stops at nothing in his mission to heal Jimmy. But at one or two points he doesn’t know whether he’ll be able to manage it—did he take on too much? Was the challenge too big? I was sure it wasn’t, not for Cliff, but for someone like me…I’d have walked away from him long ago. But Cliff plugged on, having more faith in Jimmy than anyone else ever has, and that’s what made all the difference. Someone cared, really cared.
They each have fears, which make them so vulnerable and act in the ways they do as a form of protecting themselves, and Fix This, Sir is an absolutely fascinating tale about two men who both need to relax and enjoy life a little bit more. That they eventually do, with each other, is nothing short of heart warming, and I will never forget this story or the people in it.
I loved you in the end, Jimmy! Damn you for worming your way into my heart like that!
Best Bits: “You’re a slut, Jimmy. Do you even have a type?”
“Peter and Adam care about me, I suppose. They toss the love word around, but the truth is, they felt obligated. I had nowhere else to go. Now they’re fed up and an opportunity presented itself to get rid of me.” (Here I was in my not-sure-I-like-Jimmy phase. He was having a pity party, and I could see exactly how he’d feel this way and why, but I wanted to kick his arse into next week, make him see there was so much more ahead of him, that the past wasn’t what should be controlling him. It was, and yes, he needed to face the past before he could move on, and that’s what frustrated him the most—being forced to see what he didn’t want to see. Just after this bit, I started thawing…)
…and his deep, brown eyes went on forever. (Lovely line.)
“I know what you need, Jimmy.” Cliff smiled serenely. “It’s the same thing I need.” (Kleenex alert!)
A heavy sigh bulged up from Cliff’s chest and dumped itself into his tea cup. (This has got to be one of the very best lines I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.)
He smiled, another wide, open expression, a window to some of the best memories Jimmy had. (Another fantastic line!)
Just before he left, he turned, not much more than a silhouette against the bright light of the hallway. (Grand image, here. Really liked it.)
His lashes fluttered, but hardly demurely. “Sir.” The word was a low, throaty purr that went straight to Cliff’s groin. (Here I nearly self-combusted. I won’t spoil it by saying what was going on, but it was one of those times where you literally shout, “No!” with several O’s and panic in case what you think will happen, happens. I didn’t want it to. My heart flopped about a bit here.)
Verdict: Fix This, Sir is an extremely excellent read that inspires anger, sorrow, pity, love, understanding, and the need to hug every horrible thing that Jimmy has ever suffered away. Well done, Ms Samms, for sending me on a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, where my emotions were so all over the place I felt like I’d been shoved through a wringer. In a good way. Staggeringly stunning book.
June 15, 2011
This is an even darker story than the first two in the Rainbow Alley series: recounting the relationship between Cliff, a physiotherapist, and Jimmy, a submissive with destructive inclinations.
It is heart-rending in the extreme, learning what Jimmy does and has done in the past; and suffering with Cliff in his attempt to "save" Jimmy.
Characters from the two previous books play important parts in this story, so you need to read them first to understand their relationships with Cliff and Jimmy.
There is a HEA (thank goodness), but it is torturous getting there.
It is heart-rending in the extreme, learning what Jimmy does and has done in the past; and suffering with Cliff in his attempt to "save" Jimmy.
Characters from the two previous books play important parts in this story, so you need to read them first to understand their relationships with Cliff and Jimmy.
There is a HEA (thank goodness), but it is torturous getting there.
August 17, 2015
*** 4.25 Stars ***
I really enjoyed this one. It didn't have a whole lot of steam for a book centred around a D/s relationship, but that's understandable given the characters and their situations when the book begins. Gotta say, though: Samms totally nailed the catharsis that Jimmy needed to go through before he could move on with Cliff. I was totally invested in these characters and don't feel quite ready to let them go yet; I really hope they'll pop up in the next book in this series.
I really enjoyed this one. It didn't have a whole lot of steam for a book centred around a D/s relationship, but that's understandable given the characters and their situations when the book begins. Gotta say, though: Samms totally nailed the catharsis that Jimmy needed to go through before he could move on with Cliff. I was totally invested in these characters and don't feel quite ready to let them go yet; I really hope they'll pop up in the next book in this series.
July 24, 2011
The best one yet!
These are getting better and better. It doesn't hurt that the world-building has already been done in the previous two books - and I don't recommend reading this as a stand-alone even though you could.
The alternating perspective still bugs me, but third-person is less annoying than first-person so I'd call that a big step forward.
This book takes it's sweet time getting our heroes together and it's all the better for it. I can't wait for the next one.
These are getting better and better. It doesn't hurt that the world-building has already been done in the previous two books - and I don't recommend reading this as a stand-alone even though you could.
The alternating perspective still bugs me, but third-person is less annoying than first-person so I'd call that a big step forward.
This book takes it's sweet time getting our heroes together and it's all the better for it. I can't wait for the next one.
June 11, 2012
The best of the series. While reading Finders, Keepers I hoped for Jimmy to be the MC in the next book, and here he is. I really liked the story, the characters and their development, and the setting. The resolution of their complicated relationship was realistic (well, as realistic as you can get if you want HEA) and thoughtful.
September 18, 2012
Actually, while I did give up on this one also, it was definitely a better read than the first couple.
There was more development and the characterization made more sense.
Still, it was...incongruous? I'm not entirely certain how to describe it. Whatever it was, it got to a point where I just wasn't interested in finding out more about Jimmy and Cliff anymore...
There was more development and the characterization made more sense.
Still, it was...incongruous? I'm not entirely certain how to describe it. Whatever it was, it got to a point where I just wasn't interested in finding out more about Jimmy and Cliff anymore...
April 15, 2011
Wow, this slow building of relationship was awesome. I really loved both, Cliff and Jimmy. Their path was hard and emotionally full of barriers and emotional demons. Really well written story with pulling plot, I enjoyed it a lot. I definitely recommend this story. Well done, thanks!
June 10, 2011
Even though I haven't read the first two books in this series I really enjoyed this one. Loved both main characters and their slowly developing relationship was well done.
April 10, 2011
Review coming soon
February 22, 2015
Thoroughly enjoyed this. I loved the strength of the two main characters. Well written.
June 27, 2011
Effortless writing, good characters, nice story. An interesting take on the lifestyle for sure.
July 11, 2011
I truly loved Jimmy. I did from the first time he showed up and was happy to see inside him and totally want more.
December 27, 2011
I didn't know when I started reading that this was the third in a series, but it stood alone very well, which is (IMO) one of the toughest parts of writing a series like this. :)
Want to read
July 5, 2012$5.19 on Nook
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